Daily News March 31, 2014

Environment and Health

Bags of Mountain Air Offered in Smog-Addled Chinese City, WSJ

Proving that China’s fight against pollution has moved decisively into the realm of parody, bags containing mountain air were shipped into one particularly smog-addled city over the weekend.

Related:

China sells BOTTLED AIR to tourists as smog described as 'environmental crisis' 

Zhengzhou residents enjoy vacuum-packed mountain air, Want China Times

Hundreds protest chemical plant in southern China, Reuters

 Hundreds of protesters in southern China marched against a chemical plant and environmental degradation on Sunday in a demonstration that the Maoming city government called a "grave violation" by criminals causing chaos.

Ongoing Problem on Coal and Oil

Husky Energy Delivers Production at the Liwan Gas Project in the South China Sea, Market Watch

Husky Energy and CNOOC Limited have commenced first production at the landmark Liwan Gas Project in the South China Sea.

Let us kick-start our coal policy, Mongolnews

The 4th global coking coal summit was held in Taiyuan (Shanxi Province, China) last week.

Crop Dairy and Food Security

Chinese Food on U.S. Plates, From Shellfish to Sausage Casings, WSJ

China’s food safety issues got another airing yesterday with the news that the country’s largest meat processor, Shuanghui International Holdings, struck a deal to buy Smithfield Foods, America’s biggest pork producer.

Related:

China’s Food Deal Extends Its Reach, Already Mighty, NY Times

Danish dairy giant Arla makes big gains in Chinese market, Want China Times

The value of Denmark-based dairy giant Arla's stock in Mengniu, China's largest dairy firm, has risen 65%, increasing the worth of Arla's original 1.8 billion Danish krone (US$333.3 million) investment to nearly 3 billion krone (US$552.6 billion).

Poultry trade feeling global impacts, Meat Poultry

Stakeholders in the global poultry trade may see the second quarter get hit with a triple whammy — sharp increases in grain prices; bird flu outbreaks in China and weaker Asian economy, Rabobank noted in its poultry quarterly report.

Related:

Global Poultry Industry Q1 2014, Businesswire

WH Group Seeks Up To $6 Billion From Hong Kong IPO, WSJ

WH Group, the Chinese pork producer that made headlines last year with the acquisition of Smithfield Foods., started meeting investors with plans to raise up to $6 billion in its Hong Kong initial public offering.

Trade

Chinese grain sector shows interest in Pak rice export

Guangdong (China) Grain sector has shown keen interest in enhancing the volume of import of rice from Pakistan and invited Pakistani rice growers to join hands with it in the larger benefit of the two countries.

U.S. Entrepreneurs Find Growing Opportunity in China, Forbes

Many Americans get frustrated by the huge trade deficit between the U.S. and China.